Weight It In Or Keep Your Mouth Shutt!

[brownieman]

I've never fished a tournament and have no intention of ever doing so...besides the boost to the local merchants they can have their big "High Dollar" tournaments...boats, motors, who can park where...sounds very trivial to me.

But that's just my opinion...guess I'm jealous cause I don't have enouph patches to cover up the holes in my shirts, lol

[Whack'emGood]

Oh guys I almost forgot, just to keep the good feelings going... I took my boat down there to Branson on Wednesday when we were setting everything up for the tournament. I was going to have a couple of hours free, so I was going to try Taney. I parked it in the Convention Center parking lot. Now I do understand that they were staging boats for the TBF tournament, however... I have a Ranger 520 with a Mercury. I came out of the building to leave for the day and there were some guys by my rig. Now I was parked away from the other boats. This guy Identified himself as an FLW official and thanked me for my service (I was in uniform), thanked me for buying a Ranger, but informed me that I could not park my rig in that parking lot because I had a Mercury hanging on it. I told the guy that I was working at the event for the National Guard (the title sponsor for the TBF event). He said he didn't care, Yamaha and Evinrude sponsored the event too and I needed to move. I just told him I was leaving for that day and I would not bring my Ranger boat back. I tried to be understanding, but the more I think about this, the more it rubs me wrong. In fact, Chevy Sponsored the event, but I seen many other vehicles of other brands there.... This guy was not the only one to say something to me either, in fact an Evinrude mechanic (was much more diplomatic) said, "they will probably give you a hard time about having a Mercury in the parking lot." Another guy that had been practicing at Bull Shoals for the TBF, overheard me telling the story to someone else, and told me he was told to move his boat out the parking lot too. Take what you want from this, but I can't see doing this to someone, expecially when they were working/participating at the event. Hell it don't matter what I was doing there. I wasn't parked in their roped off areas. Ok, Ok Rant over

Doug

You are a better man than me Doug... I would've told them where to stick their Evinrude!

Whack'em

[Sam]

Yep, that would have made me mad.

Things like this kinda stick in my mind, I'll remember hearing about it. Next time I buy an outboard motor, it'll be much less likely to be an Evinrude or Yamaha because of this. I hope other fishermen who read that story feel the same way, and that these comments somehow get back to those companies.

As was said, you're a better man than me. They'd have had to call the cops to make me move that boat, and I don't think the cops would have made me do it.

[Phil Lilley]

They didn't have any authority to tell you to move it. They don't own the lot, the Landing does. What, a cop is going to write you a ticket? Tow your rig? I doubt it.

Someone ought to send FLW an email and let them know their trash is being displayed on a forum- word's getting out. Very poor. Bad for business.

[Bill Babler]

It really hasen't gotten out much, but stuff like this has been going on here since the last practice week, before the cut off.

They just flat moved in here and tried to take the whole place over and ramrod it down our throats.

Thats what got me ticked to begin with. I finely just got fed up with all the posturing.

Bassmaster Elite has never and I mean never acted like this, when they are here.

I know it does alot for the community, but is this the price Branson has to pay for success?

Don't mean to keep hammering the sour grapes, and it really hurt my feelings, that Doug thought I was talking about him. To tell you the truth, I had missed his post. After I saw his comment on this thread, I read it and I could see why he thought I was picking on him.

Nothing could be farther from the truth, as I had been putting up this these ya'hoos for a month.

Lets get on with the fishing, THEY ARE GONE.

[techo]

I think I was the only one wearing a Skeeter cap at the weigh in too. I wonder if we will be on the television show?

The weigh in was fun to watch and there was a large crowd. Lots of friendly folk there.

[denjac]

Where did the little Japanese fellow go that went into an area that was posted no outboard motors? He was disqualified over it.

[brownieman]

The more I read of you all's comments the more rediculous it all sounds.

JMO but all this bass hype is just big boys and their toys, ya know...just all seems to be about the almighty dollar as are too many things anymore.

I watch a little fishing on tv but can't stand to watch the tourney stuff or lmb fishing period...nothing against it just don't understand the attractant except for money. I don't want advertising all over my equipment even if they pay for it all.

Big fancy boats, trucks, equipment racing from hole to hole at breakneck speed, whatever...sorry just don't turn me on.

If they are truely pros they would not treat the fish in the manner they do ...bags, tubs with fish flopping around...holding decent fish up and darn near dislocating their jaws, uh uh.

I know probably few of you agree with me I just don't feel this is what fishing is meant to be...as a matter of fact I don't think there are even pro's...you're either a good fisherman or not...I guess any good fisherman has the right to call him or herself a 'Pro' or does it have to be a rich mans deal ?? I have caught alot of big trout...does that make me a professional trout fisherman?... thought I was just a simple country boy, emphasis on simple, lol

My worthless 2 cents worth.....

[laker67]

With all the hype, flair and glare, they put me in mind of a Wrestlemania event.

[brownieman]

With all the hype, flair and glare, they put me in mind of a Wrestlemania event.

LMAO...gave me a good mental picture of that one...smoke screens, sparkling fountains, 'Bassemania lol...good comparison laker